Murray's Anniversary Ale 4

Around this time each year Australia’s most extreme brewer, Murray’s Craft Brewing Co, produces less than 1,000 bottles of its distinctive Anniversary Ale to celebrate its birthday and the holiday season in style. And this year, Murray’s Anniversary Ale 4 is certain not to disappoint.

“We like to think of Anniversary Ale as the ultimate craft beer. You certainly know you are drinking a big, full flavoured beer. And I’m looking forward to one with Christmas dinner,” said Murray’s Head Brewer, Shawn Sherlock.

Anniversary Ale is a very unusual beer to begin with. It’s an extreme beer – an intensely flavoured wheat and barley wine with an alc/vol of 10%. And unlike most beers, Murray’s Anniversary Ale is designed to improve with age – for up to 10 years.

Each year’s there’s a twist on the base recipe.

For the first time, this year half the batch was transferred to American Oak casks for extended maturation. This ale was then blended with the second half and fermented, before being bottled and corked in champagne bottles.

“The barrels had been used for Hunter Shiraz and only the once, so the oak character is much more assertive in this years Anniversary Ale than in previous years,” says Shawn. “The oak has contributed a rich, sweetish vanillin character, and to my palate an almost coconut-type flavour to the aftertaste. It also has a slight but perceptible shiraz/red wine character to the aroma and right at the back of the palate.”

As with previous years Murray’s Anniversary Ale 4 is an intense mix of sweet, nutty caramel malt flavours and an aggressive hop bitterness and flavour from the New Zealand Cascade and Pacific Hallertau hops.

The result is a very complex and intense flavour experience that will age nicely over at least the next 5-10 years.

Shawn strongly recommends further aging of the beer.

“As with previous Anniversary Ale releases, the earlier it’s consumed the more aggressive the hop aromas and flavours will be. Cellaring really brings out the more nutty caramel like flavours with the oak and a touch of age encouraging more fortified wine like characters,” added Shawn.

‘I’d predict these port-like flavours will be even more pronounced with careful aging of this year’s release. But given its extended oak maturation over the last half year, anything is possible!”

For those ready to uncork in December, Murray’s Anniversary Ale 4 is a great compliment to a traditional Christmas lunch; beautiful on its own as a New Year’s Eve toast; and fantastic with a cheese plate.

Download SMH_081209_Drink_up_the_festive_cheer_001.pdf